Pololū is the Northernmost of a series of erosional valleys forming the east coast of Kohala

Kohala (mountain)

Kohala is the oldest of five volcanoes that make up the island of Hawaii. Kohala is an estimated one million years old—so old that it experienced, and recorded, a reversal of magnetic field 780,000 years ago. It is believed to have breached sea level more than 500,000 years ago and to...

 Mountain on the Island of Hawaii

Hawaii (island)

The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

. The word Pololū means long spear in the Hawaiian language

Hawaiian language

The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...

.

Features

The valley forms a deep cut in the side of Kohala Mountain, and is traversed in its entirety by Pololū stream. The upper (southern) end of the valley is located at coordinates 20°9′3"N 155°44′39"W. Hiking

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

 trails criss-cross the valley, and lead in and out. The valley is fronted on the ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 side by a beautiful black sand

Black sand

Black sand is sand that is black in color. One type of black sand is a heavy, glossy, partly magnetic mixture of usually fine sands, found as part of a placer deposit. Another type of black sand, found on beaches near a volcano, consists of tiny fragments of lava.While some beaches are...

 beach

Beach

A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...

. A yellow sand dune protects verdant areas inland from the occasional fury of the ocean.

History

Prior to European colonization, Pololū Valley was renowned for its kalo (taro

Taro

Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...

) farming. A particular variety of kalo (kalo Pololū) was grown here, notable for its crimson stems. Kalo farming was complemented by rice

Rice

Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 in the 1800s. In the 20th century, though, the valley fell into disuse. A section of the Kohala ditch, which diverts water from Honokane Valley to the sugarcane

Sugarcane

Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...

 fields of the North Kohala district

Kohala, Hawaii

thumb|right|300px|The districts of the [[Hawaii |Big Island]]. From Northernmost, clockwise; Kohala , [[Hamakua|Hāmākua]], [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...

, run along the sides of Pololū Valley. Hikes to and in the ditch are offered by a tour company.

Transportation

Pololū Valley is accessed from the North, from a lookout forming the terminus of Akoni Pule Highway

Akoni Pule Highway

The Akoni Pule Highway, Hawaii State Highway Route 270, is the main road along the North Kohala Coast on the Island of Hawaii from Kawaihae to Upolu Point and then on to Pololū Valley Lookout.* Total miles = 27.0 -History:...

 at coordinates 20°12′13"N 155°44′1"W. A relatively short hike on a graded trail leads to the bottom of the valley. The trail continues beyond the valley, climbing over a ridge to neighboring Honokane Nui Valley.